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Rwanda, one of Africa¡¯s smallest and most densely populated nations, lies at the heart of the continent, in the Great Lakes region dominated by Lake Kivu, Lake Tanganyika and Lake Victoria. Rwanda¡¯s mountainous terrain has earned it the nickname ¡°Land of a Thousand Hills.¡± Inhabited since time immemorial by the pygmy Twa people, Rwanda was later settled by the Hutu and Tutsi peoples, and colonized in the late 19th century by the German Empire. Rwanda was later transferred to Belgium, and gained independence in 1962.
Rwanda is a poor nation, ranked 159th out of 175 nations listed in the UNDP¡¯s Human Development Index. The country¡¯s economy is mostly agricultural, focused on the cultivation of coffee and tea. Life expectancy at birth is only 39 years.
Rwanda was made visible in the world because of the genocide of 1994, in which Hutu extremists slaughtered hundreds of thousands of Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Since then, however, the nation has made great strides in restoring peace, establishing courts to try genocide suspects and rebuilding its economy and society. Rwanda is noted worldwide for its system of community courts, called gacaca courts, which allow towns and villages throughout Rwanda to confront and judge local genocide suspects, thus speeding the justice system and furthering national reconciliation.
Rwanda is now becoming a major tourist country drawing people for its spectacular views from hills and mountaintops, its many lakes, beautiful volcanoes, and historical sites. Those interested in safaris will not be disappointed with the plentiful wildlife to view such as buffalo, elephants, hippopotami, impala, and zebra, to name a few.
The people of Rwanda have a rich cultural heritage. Rwandans particularly prize dance, and the Intore Dance Troupe, an elite troupe established by the pre-colonial royal court, still performs today. Rwandan music places a heavy emphasis on drumming, and also employs the harp-like eight stringed lulunga. The country has also produced a number of musicians and groups specializing in modern popular music, such as DJ Berry, Cecile Kayirebwa, Les Fellows, Ingenzi, Jean Paul Samputu, Les 8 Anges and Aime Murefu.
A wide range of traditional handicrafts is produced in rural Rwanda, ranging from ceramics and basketry (renowned to be among the world¡¯s best) to traditional woodcarvings and contemporary paintings. A distinctive Rwandan craft is the cow dung ¡®paintings¡¯ produced by a local co-operative in the village of Nyakarimbi. Dominated by black, brown and white whorls and other geometric shapes, these unique and earthy works can be bought in Kigali, but are most compelling when viewed in situ as decoration on and in homes in the rural villages. Modern and contemporary Rwandan arts can be found in Kigali at the Centre for the Formation of Arts.
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